Ad-Hoc status:Carried
Resolution status:Carried
3.1. That the contents of the report be noted by the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
3.2. That Officers be requested to alter the frequency and content of the survey of customer experience of the pre-application service to “open” rather than annual.
3.3. That Officers be requested to undertake an annual survey of Development Management Planning Officers of their experience of customer service.
3.4. That Officers develop a model for quarterly audit of timeliness, quality and customer service including to assess the effectiveness of the pre-application advice process in the validation of applications and correlation of advice with outcome.
3.5. That the Corporate Director for Planning and Building Control and the Chief Planning Officer review the results of the above-mentioned surveys and audit and report at least bi-annually to the Cabinet Members for Planning.
3.6. That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee requests the Director for Planning and Building Control and the Chief Planning Officer consider arrangements to provide adequate training and mentoring opportunities for all planning staff with a view to providing an improved level of pre-app service.
3.1. That Overview and Scrutiny recommend to Cabinet to adopt the new private rented sector housing enforcement policy including the use of civil penalties as an alternative to prosecution. Agree a fair charging regime to recover the costs of housing enforcement action taken by the Council.
3.2. To recommend that Cabinet approve and authorise the use of civil penalty and financial penalty powers provided by the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (Appendix 2), Electrical Safety Regulations (Appendix 3) and Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) Regulations (Appendix 4).
3.3. To recommend to Cabinet the proposed charges for relevant housing enforcement action based on officer time taken and that any revenue arising from civil penalties will be retained within the service to meet the legal or administrative costs and expenses incurred under the relevant housing law.
3.4. To recommend to Cabinet that comments made at this meeting be made available to them when they discuss implementing the Private Sector Housing Enforcement & Civil Penalties Policy
1.1 That Council approves Option 3 (as set out in Appendix C of the report) to be used as the basis for a revised (Working Age) Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2023/24.
1.2 That Council approves the introduction of an additional Local Council Tax Support award for 2023/24 of up to at least £25 per recipient where residual liability for Council Tax exists, as permitted under Section 13A (1) (c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
1.3 That Council gives authority to the Director for Corporate Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance to agree Local Discretionary Policy as permitted under Section 13A (1) (c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to determine the method of distribution for any funds remaining from the additional Council Tax Support Fund for 2023/24.
1) That the Treasury Management activity for the first six months of 2022/23 as set out in report JAC/21/38 and Appendices be noted.
2) That it be noted that Babergh District Council’s treasury management activity for the first six months of 2022/23 was in accordance with the approved Treasury Management Strategy, and that the Council has complied with all the Treasury Management Indicators for this period.
3.1 The Council agree the recommendations Appendix A
3.2 The Council note the reason in Appendix B that the Community Governance Review were unable to complete the review which is ongoing.
1.1. That the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee notes the report and requests that Officers take account of the comments made by Members.
1.2. That a review of the progress of the Strategy’s implementation plan be undertaken by the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee in January 2024.
2.1 That the draft budget assumptions as set out in the report, for the 2023/24 General Fund and Housing Revenue Account budgets be noted.
1.1 That the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee notes the contents of the report and commends the work being undertaken in response to the Cost of Living crisis.
1.2 That the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee supports the 30% uplift to Local Citizens Advice and the work being conducted as a result and recommends that this support continues for a further 2 years.
1.3 That the Councils facilitate a more collaborative approach between organisations by encouraging the promotion of joint working.
1.4 That Officers work with relevant agencies to understand the situation for young people under 25, specifically men, to build a proactive response to support them as an at-risk group.
1.5 That Cabinet and Officers explore how we can embed the cost of living into the culture of the organisation for all staff when working with residents across all departments as part of a more integrated system of support.
1.6 That a Joint All Member Briefing be arranged for all Councillors on the Cost of Living crisis with input from Local Citizens Advice.
1.1 That Overview and Scrutiny approves the Scrutiny/Cabinet protocol.
It was RESOLVED: -
That the minutes of the meeting held on the 25 of April 2022 be confirmed as a true record.
1.1 That the Joint Overview and Scrutiny committee notes the CIFCO Business Plan and Business Trading and Performance and ask that the minutes of this meeting be taken into account at Full Council.
1.2 That the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee is satisfied that the CIFCO Business Plan and Business Trading and Performance is robust for 2022 – 2023
Resolution status:Rejected
That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommend to Full Council that future CIFCO business plans are scrutinised by the Councils’ Joint Overview & Scrutiny Committee and only reported to Council if the Committee is not satisfied with the Company’s business plan and performance.
The motion was lost.
That the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee approves the statement as detailed in paragraph 2.2 in the report.
Ad-Hoc status:Rejected
That the minutes of the meeting held on the 7 March 2022 be confirmed as a true record of the meeting.
That with the following amendment the minutes of the meeting held on the 7 February 2022 be confirmed as a true record.
Paragraph 76 amend RESOVED to RESOLVED.
That Babergh District Council formally acknowledged the compliance audit received from Homes England in relation to the affordable housing development at Ipswich Road, Brantham.
1.1 That Cabinet gave authority to the Assistant Director for Corporate Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance to agree the discretionary Council Tax Energy Policy, in accordance with the relevant Government guidelines.
1.2 That Cabinet gave authority to the Shared Revenues Partnership (SRP) Operations Manager to administer the scheme for the Council Tax Energy Rebate and the discretionary Council Tax Energy Policy.
1.1 That the joint Councils’ draft LCWIP and Sustainable Transport vision be endorsed.
1.2 That the completion of the final documentation be delegated to the Assistant Director for Economic Development and Regeneration in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Travel.